In this episode I talk about AI SEO and what it means for your small business website. Learn how to adapt your SEO strategy without overhauling your approach. I share practical tips for creating conversational, layered content and break down various SEO types to simplify them.
Action Steps After Listening
Review one piece of content on your website and make it more conversational and add tangents.
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As search engines evolve, the impact of AI on SEO has become a hot topic. You may have heard whispers about the end of Google dominance or the rise of AI-driven platforms like Perplexity and Claude. But what does this mean for your website and its visibility? Take a deep breath—you don’t need to overhaul everything. Instead, let’s explore what AI SEO is and how to adapt your approach while staying rooted in traditional best practices.
AI SEO vs. Traditional SEO
Think of traditional SEO like following a recipe for vanilla cupcakes—precise but limited to the basics. AI SEO, on the other hand, is like baking with a guide who also suggests frosting types, sprinkling options, and creative tweaks. It synthesizes multiple layers of information, pulling content from search engines and websites to provide comprehensive answers.
So, does this mean traditional SEO is obsolete? Not at all. AI SEO relies on content you’ve already optimized. What’s changing is the need to enhance your content’s conversational tone, layering context and answering a broader range of user questions.
How to Optimize for AI SEO
- Stay True to SEO Fundamentals
AI relies on high-quality, well-optimized content. Ensure your pages are clear, trustworthy, and provide value. Keep doing what works in traditional SEO—clear headlines, strong keywords, and engaging meta descriptions—but don’t stop there. - Add Contextual “Sprinkles”
Make your content richer and more conversational. Imagine answering a question with added depth, covering tangents naturally, much like a dialogue. These conversational layers help AI extract more value from your pages. For example:- If you’re discussing cupcake recipes, briefly explore common frosting trends or decorating techniques.
- Focus on Intent
Modern SEO isn’t just about keywords; it’s about understanding what your audience wants to know. Think about their intent—are they seeking how-tos, comparisons, or in-depth insights? Match your content to their goals. - Build Trustworthiness
AI tools pull data from sources they deem credible. Ensure your content is well-structured, factual, and helpful. Incorporate internal links to other relevant resources on your site, showcasing expertise and reliability.
| Aspect | Traditional SEO | AI SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on Keywords | Optimized for specific keywords and how they’re used. | Prioritizes understanding and matching broader user intent. |
| Content Style | Relied heavily on keyword placement and technical tweaks. | Focuses on natural, conversational, and rich content. |
| Search Goal | Geared toward ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). | Aims to show up in AI-generated summaries or answers. |
| Authority | Built mostly through backlinks and boosting domain authority. | Includes trust factors like credible sources and expert-backed info. |
| Content Scope | Targeted exact-match keywords to rank higher. | Broader approach: conversational questions, voice search, and AI tools. |
| Generative Search | Worked to appear in featured snippets and top rankings. | Looks to be cited in AI-generated responses. |
| User Intent | Addressed simple, keyword-specific queries. | Tackles deeper, more layered questions using natural language. |
| Adaptability | Designed mainly for traditional search engines like Google. | Tailored to AI platforms like Google SGE or tools like ChatGPT. |
Other SEO Types
To round out your knowledge, here’s a quick breakdown of various SEO approaches:
- E-commerce SEO: Tailored to online shops with a focus on secure transactions and optimized product pages.
- Image SEO: Enhancing your images to appear in Google Image searches by using alt text and compressing file sizes.
- Local SEO: Optimizing for location-specific queries, like ensuring your Google Business Profile is up-to-date.
- Technical SEO: Fixing backend elements like page speed and mobile usability.
- On-Page SEO: Creating search-friendly headlines and engaging content directly on your site.
- Off-Page SEO: Gaining backlinks and mentions from other websites to boost your domain authority.
- YouTube SEO: Optimizing video titles, descriptions, and tags for visibility.
- Voice SEO: Though it hasn’t hit mainstream relevance for most businesses, it targets queries made via voice assistants.
Key Takeaways
SEO isn’t about chasing every new trend or term; it’s about building a strong foundation. Whether it’s traditional SEO or adapting to AI SEO, the core principles remain: create trustworthy, valuable, and user-focused content.
There’s no need to scramble to keep up with AI advancements—simply refine what you’re already doing and add thoughtful layers to your strategy. At its heart, SEO is still about helping your audience and making your content accessible and engaging.
